Padlock



Patented Ian 3l', I899. 7

P. VAN CAUWENBEBGHE.

PADLOGK (Apphcahon filed Sept 12, 1898) (No llodql.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PROSPER VAN OAUWENBERGHE, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

PADLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,7 52, dated January31, 1899.

Application filed eptentber 12, 1898. $erial No. 690,736. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PROSPEE VAN CAU- WENBERGHE, of New Haven, in thecounty of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a newImprovement in Locks; and I do hereby declare the following,when takenin connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters ofreference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification,and represent, in-

Figure 1, a face view of a padlock embodying my invention with the capremoved and the parts in the locked position; Fig. 2, a similarview withthe key partially inserted and illustrating the operation of the parts;Fig. 3, a side view of the padlock complete; Fig. 4, a perspective viewof the key.

This invention relates to an improvement in looks, and particularly tothat class in which the tumblers are operated by an inward thrust of thekey in contradistinction to locks which are operated by the rotation ofthe key, the object of the invention being to produce at a low cost formanufacture a lock extremely difficult or impossible to pick.

lVith this end in View the invention consists in the construction ashereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

For convenience of illustration and description of my invention I haveshown a padlock; but it is apparent that the invention is equallyapplicable to other classes of looks.

The case A may be of any desired shape,

closed by a cap A, and provided with a keyway B, preferably at its lowerend and having a shackle O pivotally connected at the upper end in theusual manner, and so that the free end of the shackle when in the closedpo sition will project into the case. Within the case are twopivotally-mounted levers D E, formed at their upper ends, respectively,with noses d c, which are thrown toward each other by springs D E. Thesenoses are adapted to enter notches c 6, formed on opposite sides of thefree end of the shackle O and at their lower ends with fingers f g forthe purpose as will herein after appear. They are also formed withshoulders h 2', which may vary in length, for engagement by the end ofthe key,whereby the upper ends of the levers are thrown out ofengagement with the shackle. Below the levers and on opposite sides ofthe line of the keyway circular tumblers are arranged, and these consistof disks F F and G G, mounted on studs H I, so as to rotate thereon, andformed at their outer peripheries with projections J and notches K,diiferentiated in length and depth and from the notches and projectionsin the adjacent disks. These disks are also formed withunlocking-notches L,which may be turned so as to stand in the path ofmovement of the fingers g-f, and so that the said levers may be turnedto permit their up per ends to disengage the shackle,but which will rideupon the peripheries of the disks when in their normal position, and sothat the levers are held against movement. The key for this look iscomposed of as many members as there are pairs of disks, and, as hereinshown, is composed of two, M and N. The opposite edges of these membersare formed with notches J and projections K, corresponding to therespective projections and notches in the disks, and near their outerends with shoulders h and t", which are adapted to engage with theshoulders h 2' of the levers, whereby the said levers are turned. Therespective members of the keys are riveted or otherwise securedtogether, so as to form an integral key. Preferably springs 0 will bearranged in connection with the disks, tending to rotate them againstthe inward move ment of the key, and so as to normally hold them in thelocked position and as shown in Fig. 1. To open the lock, the key isinserted through the keyway B and between the sets of tumblers F G, theprojections and notches J K of which register with the correspondingnotches and projections in the key, and so that as the key is forcedinward the disks are rotated to bring the notches L into line with thefingers f g of the levers D E, and so that as the key is forced stillfarther inward and the shoulders h e" engaged with the shoulders hi ofthe levers the said levers may be turned and so as to force the fingersg into the notches L and throw the noses d 6 out of the notches d e ofthe shackle O,which is thereby released. On the removal of thekey thedisks are returned and the levers permitted to attain their normalpositions.

It is apparent that more than two tumblerdisks may be arranged on eachside of the keyway and a key having a corresponding number of membersemployed. These individual key members are readily formed by stamping orotherwise and secured together without difficulty, but owing to theirirregularity make it extremely difiicult to pick the lock.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A lock comprising a case, two locking levers pivotally mountedtherein and each formed at its lower end with an inwardly-projectingfinger, tumbler-disks mounted in the said case between said fingers andon opposite sides of the keyway for rotation therein, each of said disksformed with differentially-arranged notches and projections, and withunlocking-notches into which the fingers of the locking-levers may fall,substantially as described.

Having fully described my invention, what 2. A padlock comprisinga caseand a shackle pivotally mounted therein and formed at its free end withlocking-notches, locking-levers pivotally mounted in the case adapted attheir upper ends for engagement with said shackle, and formed at theirlower ends with inwardlyprojecting fingers and withintermediately-arranged shoulders, and tumbler-disks mounted in "saidcase on opposite sides of the keyway for rotation therein, each of saiddisks formed with differentially-arranged notches and projections, andwith 1nilocking-notches, substantially as described.

.In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

IllOSlElt VAN (JAUWIGNBERGHE Witnesses:

FREnERIo C. EARLE, LILLIAN D. KnLsEY.

